(LOOTPRESS) – The Grateful Dead were known for their rigorous touring schedule, playing nearly 100 shows a year and remaining on the road almost perpetually. Unsurprisingly, one area eluded the band for the most part – the great State of West Virginia.
It may come as a shock to few, but the Dead, like many other nationally recognized commercial prospects, would tend to eschew the Mountain State in favor of more financially viable geographic markets. Just twice would the Grateful Dead play West Virginia: once in 1978 – a stop in Huntington as part of a spring tour, and once in 1983 for a planned date in Morgantown.
The Dead’s 1978 performance at the Huntington Civic Center is of particular note, as the quality and distinctiveness of the show still holds up among fans today. Construction was completed for the Huntington Civic Center – which has since been dubbed the Mountain Health Arena – in 1977.
This was just one year prior to the performance in question, and completion of the venue occurred in tandem with arguably the greatest run of shows in the Grateful Dead’s storied history. Some – this writer included – might argue that the band reached their pinnacle a few years prior during their 1973-1974 run.
But 1977 undoubtedly remains a year of impeccable consistency for the group, with many listeners having determined the Dead’s famed Spring 1977 run of shows to have been representative of the band’s “best” work.
Regardless of one’s opinion on which material represents a “peak” period for the band, the cracks were starting to show by 1978, and the Grateful Dead would struggle to re-attain the levels of proficiency and quality at which they operated throughout the bulk of the 1970s. Singer, songwriter, and lead guitarist, Jerry Garcia was navigating the negative effects of an unchecked and decidedly unhealthy lifestyle, which by 1978 had begun to take a noticeable toll on his singing ability.
While just a few years prior the iconic musician could comfortably sit in his upper register with little to no trouble, breath control, projection, and clarity would become a serious issue for Garcia as a result of poor diet, incessant smoking, and the impact of other substances on the functionality of his nasal passages.
But on April 16, 1978, in Huntington, West Virginia, Garcia was in strong form, leading the band through exceptional performances of “Scarlet Begonias,” a rapid-fire “Eyes of the World,” and what is considered by some to be the all-time best “Peggy-O” the band would ever play.
If Garcia’s playing on “Peggy-O” wasn’t assurance enough that the guitarist was feeling it on this particular evening, a blistering “Estimated Prophet” would lay any such claim to rest well before the fascinating transition into a disco-infused “Eyes.”
The band were still riding the wave of their highly successful 1977, and on this night, would bring the magic upon which they had established their reputation.
Garcia’s issues would only multiply, however, and by the mid-1980s the beloved musician would be characterized as a shell of his former self – his hair and beard having rapidly grayed as he put on substantial weight and lost color in his skin. The change was beyond aesthetic, with perhaps the most noticeable development having been Garcia’s voice which – once soulful and smooth – was now reedy, ragged, limited in range, and more nasally than ever.
Once again, however – be it due to the fresh mountain air having sparked something inside the singer or be it a case of sheer coincidence – Jerry Garcia brought the goods yet again in what would be the band’s second and final stop in the Mountain State.
The show took place on April 10, 1983, at the WVU Coliseum and was open to students and faculty, as well as to members of the general public. The show would feature a number of worthwhile interpretations of the tunes throughout the Grateful Dead catalogue, including “Uncle John’s Band,” “Althea,” and even a very early performance of future chart-topping-single, “Touch of Grey.”
Though it would become the biggest single of the Grateful Dead’s career upon its release as part of 1987’s In the Dark, “Touch of Grey” would make the rounds during live performances for years before seeing an official release. The song was performed for the very first time on September 15, 1982, as an encore in Landover, Maryland. The song would be performed in Morgantown, West Virginia roughly half a year after its live debut.
Fortunately, thanks to the steadfast commitment of Grateful Dead fans to capturing the band’s now-legendary live shows on tape – and to the band’s encouragement of audience members having done so – such historically significant happenings have been documented for posterity and can be enjoyed time after time in the modern day, despite many of the shows in question having never been subject to any kind of official release.
Those interested in reliving these particular nights may stream the audio of the April 16, 1978, performance in Huntington, WV, at no cost here for desktop and here for mobile. Interested parties can likewise stream the April 10, 1983, Morgantown, WV, performance at no cost here for desktop and here for mobile.
